Aeroplane.



. C. L. WELSH.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED. LAN. 3. 1917.

Patented Mar. 4,1919.

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AEBOPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3, 1911.

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AEROPLANE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3. 1917.

Patented Mar. 4, 1919.

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\mvmmmmw (f (fr M6254 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLYDE I1. WELSH, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WELSH ADJUSTABLE AEROPLANE COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

AEROPLANE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 3, 1917. Serial No. 140,341.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLYDE L. WVELSH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Aeroplanes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a supporting structure for the planes of an air craft and has for its primary object to provide a construction by means of which the planes may be moved relative to the body of the air craft, for the purpose of minimizing space and to expedite passage of the air craft into the hangar. 35

An object of the invention is the use of a supporting construction mechanically operated and manually controlled so that the aviator may move the planes about the body from his seat.

Another object of the invention is the novel manner of cpnstructing and associating the parts of the support that they can be quickly disassembled and assembled for the purpose of transportation of the machine.

Besides the above my invention is distinguished in the manner of connecting the planes to the body of the air craft in combination with means for preventing move ment of the planes during the use of the machine in the air.

With these and other objects in view the invention will be better understood from the following detail description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of an air craft constructed in accordance with my invent1on.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view through the turning mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view through the upper sleeve.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 designates an air craft of the bi-plane type having an upper plane 2 and a lower plane 3. Referring more particularly to Fig. 3 of the drawing it will be noted that the upper plane 2' has rigidly connected to its under surface a sleeve 4 each end of which is flanged, and the lower flange 5 is formed with a race way 6 that cooperates with the race way 7 formed in a plate 8 to support ball bearings- 9. The plate '8 is rigidly connected to the body of the craft and is further connected to the flanged upper end 10 of a sleeve 11 the lower flanged end 12 of which is provided .with a race way 13 in which move balls 14.

The companion race way 15 is formed in a plate 16 arranged upon the top surface of the lower plane in parallel relation with a second plate 17, engaging the under surface of the lower plane.

As far as I have proceeded it will be seen that the upper sleeve 4 moves with the upper plane whil the lower sleeve is rigidly held against movement and the plates 16 and 17 support the lower plane for movement.

For the purpose of giving rotation to the sleeve 4 and the plates 16 and 17 and at the same time to allow the planes to be quickly disconnected from the body I provide a shaft 18 mounted for rotation within the sleeve 11 and rigidly connected to the upper sleeve 4 by a bolt 19 passing transversely of the sleeve as clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing. The lower end of the shaft projects beyond the plates 16 and 17 to which it is keyed and has screw threaded engagement with the nuts 20.

From this arrangement it will be seen that upon tightening up on the nuts 20 pressure upon the ball bearings may be regulated for taking up wear and insuring a tight connection.

Another feature of this construction is that by the removal of the bolt 19 and the nuts 20 and disconnecting the struts of the planes both planes can be'quickly disconnected. That portion of the shaft within the body 1 has mounted thereon a gear 21 engaging a second gear 22 mounted upon a drive shaft 23. The shaft 23 consists of two members 24 and 25 having a clutch connection 26 manually operated as diagrammatically illustrated at 27.

For the purpose of preventing uvabbling of the planes during the voyage of the machine in the air I provide guy-wires 28 and 22 having a detachable connection 30 and 31 wlth the body 1 and upper plane respectively.

To complete the invention I mount upon the lower plate 17, wheels 33 and a third wheel 34 upon the tail portion of the machine.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that in a very simple manner the aviator in his seat can swing the planes about the body portion for minimizing space and to prevent the protruding portions of the plane from striking objects in the path of movement of the machine and besides to facilitate the passage of the machine into the hangar.

Another feature of the invention is that by use of the same, massive doors now used on hangars can be dispensed with owing to the fact that the planes may be brought in parallel relation with the body.

It is to be understood that while all of the several features of my invention has special cooperation with one another and together constitute a particularly effective mechanism for the purpose in view certain of these features may be applied in other relations such as combining the plane supporting mechanism with drive mechanism between the air craft motor and the Wheels 33 so that the wheels 33 may be driven irrespective of the angular positions of the planes. I therefore desire to cover the combinations present in the several parts of my improved mechanism whether employed in the general organization shown'br elsewhere.

It is to. be understood that the structural embodiment of the invention as a whole and its various features as shown is merely illustrative and not restrictive since I am well aware that many of the details of construction can be widely varied Without departing from the spirit of the invention. I there fore do not desire to be limited in these particulars or in any others except as set forth in the appended claims.

hat I claim is 1. In combination with the upper and lower plane of a bi-plane, a sleeve rigidly connected to the upper plane and rotatably supported by the body of the bi'plane, a

second sleeve rigidly supported upon the body of the bi-plane and having a rotatable connection with the lower plane, a shaft de tachably associating the lower plane with its sleeve and the sleeve of the upper plane with the body of the bi-plane and driving means connected to said shaft.

2. In combination with the upper and lower plane of a bi-plane, a, sleeve rigidly connected to the upper plane and rotatably supported by the body of the bi-plane, a second sleeve rigidly supported upon the body of the bi-plane and having a rotatable connection with the lower plane, a shaft detachably associating the lower plane with its sleeve and the sleeve of the upper plane with the bbdy of the bi-plane and driving means connected to said shaft, said shaft bemg connected to the sleeve of the upper plane by a bolt passing through the shaft and the sleeve.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CLYDE L. WELSH.

Witnesses: J as. R. SNYDER, JENNIE JONES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 0! Eatents,

1 Washington, D. G. 

